WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Old Ballgame: The "Mona Lisa" of Baseball

Episode Date: April 21, 2024

A look at baseball cards...and the Mona Lisa. 

Welcome to the old ball game, where we talk about the past of America's favorite pastime. I'm Tate Christensen. Today we take a look at baseball cards. In the mid-1800s, baseball and photography were both becoming popular, so baseball teams would often have their pictures taken. Soon, some of these photos appeared in wallet-sized editions, but they soon became a means of advertising. Companies began printing cards with baseball pictures on one side and advertising on the other.

Most of these companies were cigarette companies. The oldest surviving card is from the Brooklyn Atlantic's around 1860. But the most famous baseball card of all time, often called the Mona Lisa of baseball cards, is the 1911 American Tobacco Company card of Homeless Wagner. Wagner was one of the greatest hitters and defensive players of his time. His card was rare due to his objection to the use of his image for commercial purposes. In 2022, the card sold for $7.25 million. This has been the old ball game on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM.

Thank you.